The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82
chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by
Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757–1840). When the
manuscript was rediscovered at the Yale University in
the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown
early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which
were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120 and
published in 1985.
This is the earliest of the three settings that Bach
made of this chorale theme, but the last t...(+)
The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82
chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by
Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757–1840). When the
manuscript was rediscovered at the Yale University in
the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown
early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which
were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120 and
published in 1985.
This is the earliest of the three settings that Bach
made of this chorale theme, but the last to become
known. True, the composer undoubtedly performed the
work during church services sometime in the early
eighteenth century. And when Johann Gottfried
Neumeister collected its manuscript, along with
numerous others by Bach and several other composers in
the 1790s, it may have gotten additional limited
exposure at the time. But the work and all the others
in the Neumeister Collection disappeared thereafter for
almost two centuries, finally to be rescued in 1985 by
organist and musicologist Christoph Wolff. "Wir
Christenleut" comprises three sections, the first two
using a cantus firmus and the last giving a fugal
treatment to the theme. The joyous, busy music in the
opening section resembles that in the BWV 612 version
of this chorale Bach made for his Orgelbüchlein (1713
-- 1715). Gigue-like rhythmic features appear in the
brief middle section, the theme remaining in the upper
register. The fugal final episode takes on a somewhat
jaunty manner, exhibiting less sense of flow than in
the previous sections. This two-minute chorale setting
offers a deft, lively combination of contrapuntal
activity with perky rhythms. .
Although originally written for Organ, I created this
Interpretation of the "Wir Christenleut" (We Christian
people) BWV 1090 for Oboe & Concert (Pedal) Harp.
PARTITION